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Aerial view of the Rhine winding through the vineyards and wooded slopes of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley
Aerial view of the Marksburg above Braubach and the Rhine
The Koblenz cable car crossing the Rhine to Ehrenbreitstein Fortress, seen from the air
The Loreley rock rising above the Rhine
Bacharach's rooftops with the Peterskirche and the ruined Werner Chapel above the Rhine

Things to do in the Middle Rhine Valley: 9 experiences

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Photo: Carsten Steger, CC BY-SA 4.0

Braubach

Tour the Marksburg, a hilltop castle never destroyed

Photo: Fritz Geller-Grimm, CC BY-SA 3.0

Koblenz, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer to Ehrenbreitstein

Ride the cable car over the Rhine to Ehrenbreitstein Fortress

Photo: Wolkenkratzer, CC BY-SA 3.0

Loreley, Sankt Goarshausen

Stand on top of the Loreley rock above the Rhine

Photo: Jörg Braukmann, CC BY-SA 4.0

Bacharach

Walk up through Bacharach to the ruined Werner Chapel

Photo: Peter Weller, CC BY-SA 3.0

Between Koblenz and Bingen the Rhine cuts a narrow valley through the slate hills, lined with castles, vineyards and small wine towns; its upper stretch is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Koblenz, where the Moselle joins the Rhine, is the northern gateway.

The Lorelei boat cruise is on the Germany page; this page adds the castles, towns, viewpoints and trails along the way.

9 things to do in Middle Rhine Valley

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Aerial view of the Marksburg above Braubach and the Rhine

Tour the Marksburg, a hilltop castle never destroyed

Braubach

2 hours with the climbNo booking needed

The only hilltop castle on the Middle Rhine that was never destroyed, shown on guided tours of about 50 minutes.

Been there?
The Koblenz cable car crossing the Rhine to Ehrenbreitstein Fortress, seen from the air

Ride the cable car over the Rhine to Ehrenbreitstein Fortress

Koblenz, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer to Ehrenbreitstein

Half a dayNo booking needed

A cable car across the Rhine to a fortress on a rock spur above the meeting of the Rhine and the Moselle.

Been there?
The Loreley rock rising above the Rhine

Stand on top of the Loreley rock above the Rhine

Loreley, Sankt Goarshausen

Half a dayFree

The slate rock of legend, 125 metres above the Rhine, with a statue, an open-air stage and a park on top.

Been there?
Bacharach's rooftops with the Peterskirche and the ruined Werner Chapel above the Rhine

Walk up through Bacharach to the ruined Werner Chapel

Bacharach

Half a dayFree

A Rhine town under Stahleck Castle, with an old wall walk, a lookout tower and a Gothic chapel ruin in the vineyards.

Been there?
Aerial view of the ruins of Rheinfels Castle above St. Goar

Explore the ruins of Rheinfels Castle above St. Goar

St. Goar

2 hoursNo booking needed

Once one of the largest castles on the Rhine, built in 1245 as a toll castle and blown up in 1797.

Been there?
Oberwesel and its red Liebfrauenkirche on the Rhine, seen from the Schönburg

Taste Riesling in Oberwesel's vaulted cellars and walk its town wall

Oberwesel

Half a dayNo booking needed

A wine town with 2,000 years of winemaking, cellar tastings, a walkable town wall and a night watchman's tour.

Been there?
The Boppard chairlift climbing over the forest above the Rhine

Ride the Boppard chairlift to the Rhine's biggest loop

Boppard-Mühltal

2 hoursNo booking needed

A 20-minute chairlift ride up 232 metres to views over the Rhine's biggest bend and the four-lakes illusion.

Been there?
A bench at a viewpoint on the Rheinsteig above the Rhine near Lorchhausen

Hike a stage of the Rheinsteig or the RheinBurgenWeg along the valley

Rheinsteig and RheinBurgenWeg

A day per stageFree

Two certified long-distance trails, one on each bank, climbing between castles and vineyards above the Rhine.

Been there?
The Loreley rock rising above the Rhine near St. Goarshausen

Cruise the Rhine gorge past the Loreley rock

St. Goarshausen

About 1 hour 45 minutes from Rüdesheim downstreamNo booking needed

Sail the UNESCO-listed Rhine gorge past Bacharach, Kaub and castles on the slopes to the 132 m Loreley cliff.

Been there?

Traveller picks

Hidden gems suggested by travellers. We check each one before it goes up; the words are theirs, not ours.

No traveller picks for Middle Rhine Valley yet. Know a place most visitors miss?

Plan your trip

  • Getting around

    Railway lines run along both banks, and car ferries cross where there is no bridge. Most towns are a short walk from their station, and the trails link them on foot.

  • How many days

    In must30's view, two or three days: one for Koblenz and the Marksburg, one for the Loreley, St. Goar and Rheinfels, and one for Oberwesel and Bacharach.

  • When to go

    April to October is the main season: the Boppard chairlift runs and the Marksburg keeps longer hours. In winter several sights close or shorten their hours, and the B 42 at the Loreley is closed for rock works.

  • Where to base yourself

    Koblenz has the most choice and the best transport; Bacharach, Oberwesel or St. Goar put you in the heart of the World Heritage stretch.

Questions travellers ask

Can I visit the Loreley right now?

Yes. The B 42 at the Loreley and the stepped footpath are closed for rock works, but the plateau can still be reached by the detour, by bike over the heights or by the Rhine ferries.

Which castle should I see if I only have time for one?

In must30's view, the Marksburg: it is the only hilltop castle on the Middle Rhine that was never destroyed, and guided tours run in winter too.

Is the Boppard chairlift open in winter?

No. The 2026 season ran from 17 April to 31 October.

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